Blog Entry

August 21, 2014: The 101 number one song of the day was the ninth try for a group of girls signed by Motown. Their 8 previous attempts all failed on the charts and the other artists on the label had started making fun of their inability to produce a hit.

The 101 number one song of the day was the ninth try for a group of girls signed by Motown. Their 8 previous attempts all failed on the charts and the other artists on the label had started making fun of their inability to produce a hit. Today’s featured song was written for the Marvellettes but lead singer Gladys Horton said, “no way am I gonna sing any junk like!” The song was passed around down the line until it was offered to the group you’re about to hear and because they were low down on the totem pole, they couldn’t turn it down. After the song was recorded, they were booked for a tour on Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars along with Gene Pitney and the Shirelles but these girls didn’t even get billing when they first hit the road. They were simply listed under “and others.” Until, that is, the song started climbing the charts. It reached number one this week in August, 1964 – from then on, their name would be up in lights – Big Time! The Supremes – “Where Did Our Love Go”